Reducing transaction time in a self-service terminal
View Patent ↗Methods of reducing transaction time in a self-service terminal are described. The methods involve pre-stacking a defined amount of media, such as a commonly withdrawn amount of money, before the user has performed any service selection. During service selection, the user is given an option to withdraw the defined amount of money and if the user selects this option, the pre-stacked amount is dispensed. If the user selects an option to withdraw a different amount of money, a second dispenser in the self-service terminal may be used to stack and dispense this different amount.
1. A method of operating a self-service terminal comprising:
stacking a defined amount of media by a first dispenser in the self-service terminal;
presenting a user with a plurality of options by the self-service terminal, a first option of the plurality of options corresponding to dispensing the defined amount of media by the first dispenser and a second option of the plurality of options corresponding to dispensing a different amount of media by a second dispenser in the self-service terminal;
on selection of said first option by the user, only dispensing the defined amount of media previously stacked by the first dispenser; and
on selection of said second option by the user, determining the different amount of media, stacking the different amount of media by the second dispenser, and only dispensing the different amount of media by the second dispenser.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the defined amount of media is determined according to the user.
3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
recycling the stacked defined amount of media if said first option is not selected by the user.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the defined amount of media is determined according to a history of use of the self-service terminal.
5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
alternating the first dispenser used for stacking and dispensing the defined amount of media and the second dispenser used for stacking and dispensing the different amount of media.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of stacking the defined amount of media occurs during predefined time periods.
7. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
authenticating the user by the self-service terminal between the stacking step and the presenting step.
8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein stacking occurs in advance of the user operating the self-service terminal, the method further comprising:
purging the stacked defined amount of media on detection of a physical attack on the self-service terminal.
9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-service terminal is an automated teller machine and wherein the media is money.
10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the defined amount of media comprises a commonly dispensed amount of money.
11. A method of operating a self-service terminal comprising:
stacking a defined amount of media by a dispenser in the self-service terminal in advance of a user operating the self-service terminal to complete a withdrawal transaction, wherein dispensing the defined amount of media corresponds to one of a plurality of withdrawal options of the self service terminal; and
purging the stacked defined amount of media on detection of a physical attack on the self-service terminal.
12. A method of operating a self-service terminal comprising:
determining a time of day by the self-service terminal;
when the time of day falls within a predetermine range, enabling by the self-service terminal stacking of a defined amount of media by a dispenser in the self-service terminal in advance of a user operating the self-service terminal to complete a withdrawal transaction, and enabling by the self-service terminal displaying of a withdrawal option to dispense the defined amount of media; and
when the time of day falls outside the predetermined range, disabling by the self-service terminal stacking of the defined amount of media by the dispenser, and disabling by the self-service terminal displaying of the withdrawal option to dispense the defined amount of media.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
purging the defined amount of media on detection of a physical attack on the self-service terminal.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
disabling by the self-service terminal stacking of the defined amount of media by the dispenser; and
disabling by the self-service terminal displaying of the withdrawal option to dispense the defined amount of media.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
disabling by the self-service terminal stacking of the defined amount of media by the dispenser on detection of the dispenser entering an out-of-service state.
16. A method of operating a self-service terminal comprising:
stacking a defined amount of media by a first dispenser in the self-service terminal;
presenting a user with a plurality of options by the self-service terminal, a first option of the plurality of options corresponding to dispensing the defined amount of media by the first dispenser and a second option of the plurality of options corresponding to dispensing a different amount of media including a mix of different media by a second dispenser in the self-service terminal;
on selection of said first option by the user, dispensing the defined amount of media previously stacked by the first dispenser; and
on selection of said second option by the user, determining the different amount of media including the mix of different media, stacking the different amount of media by the second dispenser, and dispensing the different amount of media by the second dispenser.